a mathematical question

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Okay, anyone who would be able to calculate how big a wing span is required for a creature there is: 2.3m/7.54feet high, 8m/26.24feet long, and weighs ~4000kg/8818.5ounds, would need in order to fly?

 

A very good example of why I don't dig this forum

 

Hmmm...have you ever heard of the Boeng 747 Jumbo Jet? I think a similar sized wingspan would be needed for your creature to fly.

 

No one forces you to stay...

 

Ok some information needed; is the creature innately magical or non-magical ? And is it going to be a flier or glider ? and finally where does it live and what type of habitat i.e. plains, cliff face, hill, swamp, etc.

 

Natures never gone that far - the largest flying creatures were pteradons <-or something like that. I'm sure they probably weighed a lot less than a ton. I'd google it though - you'll probably find its something massive - or dependant on how many beats the wing can make.

 

http://www.nanowrimo.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=25732&forum=151 --- this might be relevant. There's a link there to something about angel's wings which I think must contain this sort of stuff...

 

@ Tap Dancing Oyster: The largest pteradon sub-race ever found weighed somewhere around 2-3 tons .

@ DarkStrider: Yes, it's a magical creature. Very similiar to a Dragon, yet more dinosaur like.
I do not have a long neck, for once. It's a flier with pteradon-like wings (or somwhat a mix between a pteradon and a bat). It can be found most places, but prefer to live in cliffs or mountains.

EDIT: Here's a sketch of what I'm thinking about. Sorry 'bout the ligthing; had to use a digital camera! Oh, and don't mind the numbers

[ September 05, 2005, 21:27: Message edited by: olimikrig ]

 

Ok Here are my thoughts like a pteradon it's going to be more of a glider than a flieras. As for the wing length you're going to be looking at 2-3 times bodylength your problem is going to be the tail unless of course the tail is feathered.

On the best gliders in nature (albatross, condoe etc) it is the tail and wing-tip feathers that control and stabilise the bird.

Of course you could just use magic or do it however you like after all a bumble bee can't fly mathematically....

 

First off, this size creature would be more akin to a cessna than a 747 with those dimensions, but the I'd agree with Dark - fairly wide wingspan if it's going to be a purely physical 'batlike' wing that will flap. Magic would definitely be a help, as the membranes on a wing eventually would not be strong enough to withstand the forces of a wingbeat.

(same reason you don't see giant ants - the exoskeleton would have to be so dense to support the weight of the ant that the weight would become even more of a problem and the poor giant insect wouldn't be able to stand!)

A feathered wing would able to take more stress, but it'd be somewhat heavier (see that huge contemporary bird, the condor).

Another question is flying endurance - is this thing gonna make 'short' hops of maybe 15-30 minutes, or could it be expected to fly all day?

Again magic is usually expected to be an aid to most 'giant flying reptiles' in fantasy milieux.

BTW - nice sketch!

 

wing span is one thing, breast muscle that controls it is another.

 

pterosaurs had hollow bones to lighten the weight that might be worth thinking about?

Not all day I guess, yet it should be able to fly longer distances. Maybe somewhere around ~800-1000km/497-621miles...

Plus it would probably also need to have a rather large chest. It would requirre a big heart in order to pump enough blood around the body fast enough.

Yes. It will also be a magical creature, yet the magic will mainly lie in its attacks and defenses. I would like the flying mechanism to be at the very least somewhat realistic, but of course it probably got to have some magical aid

 

It's a pteranodon, iirc, which comes from a family of dinosaurs known as pterosaurs. I like dinosaurs.
Considering bat wings, this creature would need wings each about the same length and 1/2-2/3 the width of its own body to fly. My only basis is because this is generally the case with any creature (imaginary or otherwise) that has bat wings, including Wyverns. Not sure about dragons though. (varying)

EDIT: Looking at the sketch, and the placement of the wings the each wing would probably be longer than the creatures body with a maximum width of about... 3/4?
It's because the part of his body below the wings would be hanging as he flies. (the placeemnt of the wings would make it very hard for this creature to fly with its body straight)

[ September 07, 2005, 04:00: Message edited by: Scythesong Immortal ]

 

From the 2e MM:

Not sure if it helps, but...

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4223658.stm

Most recent finds show that Pterosaurs could reach wingspans upto 18m (60 feet). Still less than a 9-seater Cesna.

The Boeing 747 has a wingspan of 211 feet if anyone is interested.